Eastern sunday morning on cspan, cspan now, or online at cspan. Org. Sunday night on q a, in his book a Washington State democratic congressman details his decades long struggle living with chronic pain and anxiety and his efforts to find the right treatment. He talks about the u. S. Health care system and the needs of americans with issues. Ask the problem when the anxiety and pain hit is i didnt know what to do. When i was time to accomplish something in life and i felt like i cant do it, i was very self pitying. But then i would be like ok, what are you going to do. I had my little list i was writing down my going to do. What am i going to do. I could knock on doors, do something. Here, what can i do . I have a feeling of unbelievable anxiety, i cant sleep. Im in pain, im trying to exercise but i cant. I was lost. Adam smith sunday night on q a. You can listen to q a and all of our podcasts on our free app. Browse through our latest collection of cspan products, apparel, books, home to court, and accessories. There is something for everyone and every purchase helps support our nonprofit operation. A democracy doesnt just look like this. It looks like this. Americans can see democracy at work. Citizens are truly informed. The republic thrives. Get informed straight from the source. Unfiltered, unbiased, word for word. From the Nations Capital to wherever you are. Its the opinion that matters most is your own, this is what democracy looks like. Cspan, carpet powered by cable. Washington journal continues. Host am joined by Michael Stratford of politico. Welcome to the program. Guest thank you for having me. Host our phone lines will be if you have a Student Loan Debt you can call us on 202 7488000. If you have paid off your Student Loan Debt call us on 202 7488001. Everyone else can call us on 202 7488002. You can text and use social media. I want to start by reminding people of President Bidens student loan forgiveness plan before we talk about the reaction to it. We will put it up on the screen. It is essentially to forgive 20,000 to pell grant recipients , low income borrowers, 10,000 to nonpell grant loans and this would apply to anyby making under 120 5,000 per year. If you are married filing jointly making under 125,000 per year. If you are married filing jointly it would be 250,000 per year. Tell us about the debt relief plan. There was a resolution what does it do . Guest it allows congress to quickly and more easily overturn recent executive branch policies. Republicans who oppose the plan sought an opinion from the government watchdog that the plan amounted to a rule subject to this Congressional Review Act. Republicans introduced it earlier this year. It was passed in the house last week and this week in the senate. The white house has promised President Biden will veto this plan. His program he has attempted and championed, the act resolution nullifies the plan so the president s debt relief plan which is already on hold would have been completely repealed by this resolution. It also would have affected the ongoing pause on federal student loan payments. Those payments have been frozen since the beginning of the pandemic back in march 2020. And the president in announcing his relief plan last August Announced an extension of the payment pause. The resolution targeted that as well. Separately, there is other congressional action on Student Loans this past week that we can talk about. Host i want to talk about that and the pause but you mentioned the Supreme Court because they heard arguments in february. Here is your article from political, Supreme Court appears skeptical of bidens Student Debt Relief plan. Do we know where they are going to come down on this because this could all go away if they rule the president doesnt have the right to forgive Student Loan Debt. Guest that is right. This is a plan brought on by conservatives. It is hard to glean what the courts might do from the oral arguments. But the conservative members of the court were skeptical that the president has the doherty the authority to cancel this debt, the administration argues it has the power to write off some of this debt under an emergency power given to the Education Department to address the effects of national emergencies. They say the covid pandemic is such an emergency that borrowers were struggling during the pandemic and the Education Department needs to wipe out some of that debt in order to prevent a surge of delinquency and default when payments restart after the pandemic. The conservative justices were particularly skeptical of that. They have the majority on the Supreme Court. So the plan does seem to be in some peril at the Supreme Court but we wont know what the court will rule until the next several weeks when they are expected to release their plans. Host bobby scott spoke on the floor of the house about the impact the bill would have on borrowers. [video clip] hi republican colleagues refused to acknowledge serious questions about how might republican colleagues refused to acknowledge serious questions about how this would impact americans. You have to overturn the whole rule, including the pause in student loan payments and the deferral of interest. How do you pause a payment that was supposed to be made many months ago and what will happen to all the Interest Payments that now have to be added back to the loans, about 233 a month in interest and principal and what happens to the public loan forgiveness promised during those months, our firefighters and teachers and other Public Servants who may have had their loans forgiven now on the rope for additional payments . The reality is it would trigger a wave of delinquencies and defaults for the most vulnerable borrowers. This resolution would create chaos for borrowers and their families as well as loan servicers and the Congressional Research service has confirmed this chaos would be triggered by Retroactive Application of this rule. Host michael, talk about that. How would it be applied retroactively and do you think it would cause all this chaos the representative is talking about . Guest that was certainly a big Sticking Point in the debate over this resolution in congress over the past few weeks. It is somewhat unprecedented that congress would pass legislation to undo the student loan benefit. It is a bit unusual, typically when congress uses the tool of the Congressional Review Act, they are blocking recently passed legislations from the executive branch that havent taken effect yet. The Congressional Review Act says that when congress uses this tool to repeal these policies, the agencies shall treat the plot regulation as though the blocked regulation as though it has never taken effect. It is the student loan payment pause and the debt relief plan is a little bit unclear. The Education Department, Biden Administration hasnt said exactly how it would implement the resolution if it were to become law. They said it would cause operational problems and significant problems for borrowers but have not mentioned how they would implement it. Republicans say it is fear mongering and that they would have the ability to implement it favorable to borrowers, not going back and calling back interests that borrowers were promised that were waived. Democrats say that is the plaintext of the review act saying the retroactivity is something the Education Department could have to do. It is unclear but the Congressional Budget Office sided with republicans. They said the savings from this resolution, they said they did not anticipate an retroactive effect. Host lets look at another side to that, republicans talking about what the resolution would do. [video clip] tip xinia liberal fashion, democrats typical liberal fashion, democrats want americans to foot the bill. America also shouldnt buy accusations from the left that the resolution would charge borrowers backpay for Interest Payments. It couldnt be further from the truth. Nowhere in this resolution doesnt mandate backpay. It is prospect of, not retrospective. If anything it will be their decision to enact backpay. Host what do you think of that . That is what you were talking about with the backpay. Does that settle the issue . Guest no, it doesnt. From our reporting we understand the Congressional Research service on a variety of issues has said that retroactivity is one possible outcome of this resolution, but as you heard the congresswoman, she and republicans think there would be discretion at the administration to avoid this. We should point out this is somewhat of an academic debate at this point because President Biden has indicated he will veto this resolution and it will not become law. There arent the in congress to override that veto that the legislation didnt pass with the two thirds majority that would be needed to override the potential veto. Host areas is first in maryland. Darius is first in maryland. Caller i have three points and then a question. Number one, to the clip you just paid, who benefits the most from Student Loans not being forgiven . I believe there are minute municipalities or state governments that have attached themselves to universities for their retirements, Pension Plans and like that. Also, can you speak to the prospect of an retrospective, where these are possibilities. I dont think many callers are very savvy when it comes to doing anything illegal. Even though we say perspective and retrospectives are possibilities. My third point, i am under 35 and i cannot buy a home. Can you speak to those who went to school during the 1970s or during the 1980s or whatever the case is in the massive difference between the loans they took out and the free ride they ended up getting until the mid1990s where they were buying homes and living their lives and talk to the fact that because home purchases are low at the present point because many previous students cannot longer afford a home due to the Student Loan Debt against them when it comes to purchasing a home. Host we will get answers to those, but you have student debt, can you tell us how much you are carrying . Caller i dont know the exact amount because the Interest Rate on it has changed, but last, it was around 60,000. I make around 60,000. So it is relatively crazy that i make what i came out in debt and with the interest, it is going to be more than 60,000. Host lets get some answers. Michael . Guest there is the point about the confusion about the different options for borrowers is fairly well taken. Borrowers are being left hanging , because we have a lot of different moving parts. 40 million americans who have Student Loans are waiting for the Supreme Court to decide what is going to happen with their loans later this year. We do know as part of the debt ceiling deal that was reached this past week that the Education Department would be prohibited from further extended extending the ongoing pause in payments. That is set to go through the end of august. The administration agreed with Republican Leaders negotiating a deal they would put into the package a provision that prevents further extension of that payment pause. We know effectively payments restart this fall or borrowers. That is not particularly helpful if you are reading on potentially having 10,000 or 20,000 of your debt forgiven. For that answer we will have to wait on the Supreme Court hopefully in the coming weeks. Host he did talk about how much the change of how much College Costs these days and how much they cost back in the 1970s and 1980s. Is that a part of the discussion at all . Guest it is very the argument for progressives who over the course of several years really brought the idea of student let debt cancellation and the fringes of debate to the main stage and having multiple Democratic Candidates in 2020 talk about this and having President Biden ultimately agreed to move forward with a plan to cancel some of the debt. That is some of the argument progressives are making that the student loan system is broken and our system of financing Higher Education has out of control and the majority of students cant go to College Without taking on significant amounts of student debt and they note in some cases it could be a drag on the economy for not doing family formation, people from purchasing homes. It was a core argument that this program would be an economic stimulant and the administration makes the secondary argument that borrowers need more assistance in responding to the economic effects of the covid19 pandemic. Host there doesnt seem to be a lot of pressure on universities to keep the costs low. Guest that is right. That is a reason why many conservatives oppose this policy and they fear it will only worsen the rising costs of college because students will take out more if they have an expectation it will be forgiven in the future. The Administration Responded that there are a few plans they are trying to help tackle the costs. The administration is working on rules that would more tightly regulate Career College programs , programs for forprofit schools and Career Colleges they have forthcoming rules to cut off from federal student aid funding programs that leave borrowers with high debt loads and low levels of earning. The administration also says it wants to tackle this issue by writing more consumer Public Education by providing more consumer Public Education and coming up with a list of colleges that provide low value to students and made enhancements to the web side website that names colleges with a range of outcomes for programs and institutions that will help people take more informed decisions before taking out these loans. Host lets talk to jim in hattiesburg, mississippi. Caller i wanted to say that i have Student Loans from my undergraduate and i do it degree and graduate degree. I became disabled after college and got total discharge. It has forgiven my debt and in exchange, i am on a three year probationary period for my income to make sure it doesnt go above a certain level. Provided it doesnt come at the end of those years, all of my student debt loan is forgiven. Host any comment on that, michael . Guest that segues into another part of this conversation which is the existing range of federal programs that are designed to help borrowers with their student debt. It also includes borrowers who become totally and permanently disabled and are unable to work or limited ability to work. The Biden Administration has forgiven tens of points of dollars through that program by essentially breaking down some of the paperwork barriers that existed and prevented borrowers that qualify from getting the benefit. If the government knows a borrower qualifies because they are receiving Social Security disability benefits, for example , the other part of the government, the Education Department, didnt connect the dots so the Administration Made it more seamless for them to automatically get that in a fit. And there are other programs that said they want to make improvements for borrowers defrauded by their college and those working in Public Service jobs. There are various parts the administration is working on to make improvements. Host robert is in missouri. Go right ahead. Caller michael has answered a lot of questions. I had a grant. I was blind in one eye and couldnt go into the military. They gave me they paid for my school because i was about to join the military. Costs back then were a lot less. I never knew Police Officers and firefighters need to go to college to get their jobs. I understand that the teachers would need to. Host we will get a response. Go ahead, michael. Guest i think he is talking about the Public Service own forgiveness mentioned, passed by congress in a look at the annual roast and ride in iowa. We expect to hear from gop president ial candidates nikki haley, Vivek Ramaswamy sen. Tim scott larry elder andlarry elder this is live coverage on cspan. Good morning, james. The thing about, it seems like most of these programs they always dress up with a suit then you peel it back and its corrupt by nature. I am paying off my loan. I pay my kids College Tuition off. When i went to college, college was about 24 per credit hour. To go to college, work a parttime job and get a car. Thats when public colleges the cost went skyrocket. A lot of minorities getting into college. You needed it to get a good job. Thats when the corruption seeped in. You have all these kids coming out of school now on hundreds of thousands of owing hundreds of thousands of dollars and they stay at home with their parents and congress is we cant do anything about it. Its not that they cant do anything about it, its who the recipients are. You have these poor whites, minorities, they say we are not going to take care of them. Its like crack epidemic. They couldnt do nothing about that then when there was opioids and you had these white kids, its a major problem. Go ahead, michael. I think that is part of the debate here that over the past few decades, states have pulled back their investment in Higher Education at public colleges and universities which is where the majorities of students go to school. They have responded by having to increase the tuition and the prices that families pay to go to college. That is a big driver of increased cost of college at public colleges and universities. You alluded to this as far as legislation that would address this problem. Is there anything currently like that . The administration democrat proposal main proposal for dealing with the cost of colleges to provide significant subsidies. Even member they were pushing a plan to get the states money for tuition at community colleges. At hbcus and minority serving institutions. That didnt make it into the big legislative package that became the Inflation Reduction Act last year. The democratic proposal hanging out there. Republicans probably later this year House Republicans are talking about introducing the Higher Education bill to reauthorize some of the student loan programs and we will see what their proposals are. Theres not really much appetite on the hill right now for a comprehensive overhaul of these Higher Education policies, probably not something we will see in an Election Year either. Scott is in maryland. Good morning. My lungs got paid off with a combination of income based repayments then covid shutting down the payments and interest for a while then finally labor. Joe biden put that in place in 2021 and ended a year later. They mightve continued it because of that 10,000 and 20,000 going to the courts thats a separate thing that didnt apply to me. Pennsylvania Higher Education loans from stuff like that those didnt even count to it until joe biden crated the waiver. That was like all of my undergrad loans now qualified whereas before it was just the graduate degree loans. Part of the waiver was the companies were tracking the payments and they were counting them toward the 120 payment number properly or they were giving bad advice like putting you in forbearance for 12 or 13 months at a time which is like apparently now i find out its way too much. Theres a lot of problems with the system and things like 2023, 2022 you would have figured out all the stuff and automated it. I dont know if its a human problem, but you pay off alone its less interest for the companies and services and whatnot. They have a conflict of interest helping out borrowers with loans and getting them into the right programs. Every buddy should automatically everybody should automatically be put into the income driven owns. What do you think, michael . It has a pitfall that borrowers have to recertify income every year because the payments are based on a formula that is tied to their income. The good news is that a few years ago Congress Passed legislation that allows the Education Department to access, with borrowers permission, federal Tax Information at the irs so borrowers wouldnt have to every year at submit tax documentation proving to the government but the government already knows which is their tax income information. That is in the process of being fully implemented. They are working on it and as they put a new income driven repayment program, that will get the Data Sharing Program up and running. With the income driven repayment plan, you should see in the next few months, one component is whether borrowers should automatically be placed in these programs because in the argument is it would prevent default and delinquency because in many cases if someone cant afford to pay their student loan because their income is low, they could qualify for a zero dollar per month payment due to these programs, but challenges that a lot of people arent participating in those programs. So the argument is whether they
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